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'The Enlightenment' and its impact on medicine, Study notes of Medicine

'The Enlightenment' was a time when new systems of thought, based on the application of reason and observation of evidence, were championed. Although the ...

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David Hume
‘The Enlightenment’ and its impact on medicine
Choosing what to believe
Do you believe what you are told by
others? Do you like to test the facts for
yourself? These questions are important
in understanding a period of history known
as ‘The Enlightenment’.
‘The Enlightenment’
‘The Enlightenment’ was a time when new
systems of thought, based on the
application of reason and observation of
evidence, were championed. Although the
period we have come to know as the
Enlightenment occurred around the 18
th
century, its seeds were sown much earlier.
For example, accepted religious systems
of belief had already been challenged by
scientists such as Galileo Galilei. Galileo,
building on the work of Copernicus, and
using telescopes to observe the
movements of the planets, concluded that
the Earth was not the centre of the
universe. Some parts of the Catholic
Church considered this heretical, as the
bible stated that the Earth was immovable
and fixed in the heavens. Even though
Galileo had his supporters in the Church,
he was eventually forced to recant. Some
of his works were banned and he was put
under house arrest.
In Galileo’s story we can see an example
of one of the key debates that
characterised the Enlightenment. Should
our view of the universe be informed by
investigation and observation or faith in
some long respected authority?
Evidence v. Authority
The Enlightenment saw bold challenges to
accepted authorities. Many thinkers openly
challenged teachings of the church. One
such figure was
David Hume, a
Scottish philosopher.
Amongst many other
things, Hume
challenged biblical
accounts of miracles,
stating that, as they
clearly violated the
‘laws of nature’, they
were highly
improbable.
The period also saw great political
upheavals as nations wrestled with the
relationship between citizen, church and
state. The French Revolution, where
supporters of democracy sought to
overthrow the rule of monarchy, is often
cited as one of the key events in the
Enlightenment.
The Storming of the Bastille – often cited as the
beginning of The French Revolution
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David Hume

‘The Enlightenment’ and its impact on medicine Choosing what to believe Do you believe what you are told byothers? Do you like to test the facts foryourself? These questions are importantin understanding a period of history knownas ‘The Enlightenment’. ‘The Enlightenment’ ‘The Enlightenment’ was a time when newsystems of thought, based on theapplication of reason and observation ofevidence, were championed. Although theperiod we have come to know as theEnlightenment occurred around the 18

th

century, its seeds were sown much earlier.For example, accepted religious systemsof belief had already been challenged byscientists such as Galileo Galilei. Galileo,building on the work of Copernicus, andusing telescopes to observe themovements of the planets, concluded thatthe Earth was

not^ the centre of the universe. Some parts of the CatholicChurch considered this heretical, as thebible stated that the Earth was immovableand fixed in the heavens. Even though

Galileo had his supporters in the Church,he was eventually forced to recant. Someof his works were banned and he was putunder house arrest. In Galileo’s story we can see an exampleof one of the key debates thatcharacterised the Enlightenment. Shouldour view of the universe be informed byinvestigation and observation or faith insome long respected authority? Evidence v. Authority The Enlightenment saw bold challenges toaccepted authorities. Many thinkers openlychallenged teachings of the church. One

such figure wasDavid Hume, aScottish philosopher.Amongst many otherthings, Humechallenged biblicalaccounts of miracles,stating that, as theyclearly violated the‘laws of nature’, theywere highly

improbable. The period also saw great politicalupheavals as nations wrestled with therelationship between citizen, church andstate. The French Revolution, wheresupporters of democracy sought tooverthrow the rule of monarchy, is oftencited as one of the key events in theEnlightenment.^ The Storming of the Bastille – often cited as the

beginning of The French Revolution

A visible difference – ‘The Enlightenment’ and its impact on medicine

2

Empiricism One of the key modes of thought thatgained prominence in this period was Empiricism

. Empiricism stresses the role of^ experience

when developing one’s view

of the world. It argues that methodicalobservation of the natural world is crucialto understanding. Empiricism, Science and Surgery The principle of empiricism and thedevelopment of the science as a disciplineare inseparable. Central to the scientificmethod is the concept that evidence insupport of any viewpoint (or theory) mustbe^ observable

A medical researcher engaged in observation

Scientists see it is as part of their work toprovide

observable evidence

that can bear

out, or disprove theories. The strongestarguments are those that can berepeatedly tested against observableevidence.John Hunter, who lived during theEnlightenment, was an early and vigorousadvocate of scientific approaches in thecause of advancing medicine.

John Hunter He encouraged his students to conductexperiments that would help themunderstand more clearly how the human

body reacted under differentcircumstances, and apply that knowledgeto the treatment of patients. Hunter (andhis contemporaries) recognised the valueof gathering observations and preservingevidence even when they didn'tunderstand or couldn't agree on thetheories behind them. One importantfunction of John Hunter's museum was toprovide a collection of

evidence

for others

to look at.The attitudes towards medicine he helpedpioneer are still held dear by theprofession to this day. For instance,medical pathology is concerned, amongstother things, with the

scientific study

of

disease processes, helping us to devisenew ways to combat them.